Machinery for folding cloth



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

'A. 0. CAREY & D. c. BAGLEY. MACHINE FOR MEASURING AND FOLDING CLOTH.

Nd. 7.079. Patented Feb. 12', 1850.

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Patented Feb. 12 1850.

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UNITED STTES PATENT CFFIC.

AUGUSTUS C. CAREY AND DANIEL C. BAGLEY, OF AMESBURY, MASSACHUSETTS.

MACHINERY FOR FOLDING CLOTH.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 7,079, dated February 12, 1850.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, AUGUSTUS C. CAREY andDANIEL C. BAGLEY, of Amesbury, in the county of Essex and State ofMassachusetts, have invented a new and useful Machine for Holding andMeasuring Cotton and lVoolen Cloths, which is described as follows,reference being had to the annexed drawings of the same, making part ofthis specification.

Figure 1, is a side elevation of the machine. Fig. 2, is a top orbirds-eye view of ditto. Fig. 3, is an end elevation of ditto. Fig. 4,is a section of two of the horizontal shafts at the top of the frame atthe line X X of Fig. 2, showing the bent bars, segmental plate andspring, for attaching and detaching the teeth of the combs to and fromthe folds of the cloth, as it is laid on the table. Fig. 5, is a view ofthe graduated notched wheel, radial arms, and pointer, for indicatingthe length of the cloth folded. Fig. 6, is a section of one of the bentbars or arms, attached to the horizontal shaft nearest the table.

Similar letters in the several figures refer to corresponding parts.

The nature of this invention and improvement consists in placing at theupper part of a suitable frame a horizontal table, having an up and downmovement, and arranging on the sides of the same horizontal shafts,having sharped toothed combs or prickers, notched bars, and bent bars orarms attached, and connected by radial arms and connecting rods or barsto a horizontal revolving shaft, which operates a graduated notchedwheel, in such a manner as to fold the cloth and measure the same as itis laid evenly on said table.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use our invention, wewill proceed to describe its construction and operation.

A is the frame made of a rectangular form, having two square uprightsides, connected together by horizontal cross ties (a), and constructedof suitable size, strength, and material, to contain and support theseveral parts of the machine.

B is a horizontal rectangular platform or table, arranged at the top ofthe frame and midway between the ends and side of 'the same, having fourrods (6) secured to its lower surface near the corners, which extenddownward in a vertical line and pass through corresponding slzedopenings formed in the projecting portions of the right angled plates(a), secured to the inner surfaces of the sides of the frame.

C is a vertical shaft, secured at its upper end to the under part of theplatform or table and at the center of the same, and extending downwardto the lower part of the frame and having a chain (cl) attached at itslower end which passes over, and is connected at its end to theperiphery of a skeleton wheel (6) grooved on its periphery, and securedon a horizontal transverse shaft, turning in suitable boxes at itsextremities, formed in uprights (f), secured to the sides of the frame,which shaft has a radial rod (g) secured to its side, extending towardthe end of the frame in an inclined direction, and having a weight (it)at its lower end sufliciently heavy to counterbalance the weight of theplatform or table and its attachments, and keep it in a state ofequilibrium.

D, D, are horizontal transverse shafts, arranged on top of the frame,one on each side of the platform or table and turning in suitable boxesat their ends on top of the sides of the frame, and having radial arms.

(2', 2",) secured to them at equal distances from their ends, whichincline upward over the table, and have sharped toothed combs (j j)secured to their ends, extending from one to the other, and parallel tothe upper surface of the platform or table, the points of the teeth ofsaid combs being downward and situated immediately over the edges of theplatform or table.

E, E, are two other horizontal transverse shafts, arranged between thelast mentioned the distance between said shafts E E, and

the combs on the opposite sides of the platform or table, and connectedtogether at their outer extremities by bars (Z, Z,)

notched on their outer edges, in such a man ner as to allow one of them011 one side the table to move past the comb on the opposite side, andas near the same as possible, without touching the teeth of the combs,passing through the notches, to allow this result.

F F are grooved, pulleys secured to the shafts D, D, near their ends, tothe peripheries of which are attached the ends of straps (m, m,) of gumelastic or other suitable material pasing over the tops of the same, andextending downward and attached at their opposite ends to wire rods (n,'n,) passing through openings formed in projecting pins or studs (0)secured to plates secured to the inner side of the sides of the frame,and having knobs at their lower ends to prevent them becoming disengagedfrom the projecting pins or studs (0), on said plates, the band we isintended as a counter spring, to prevent the combs j j being brought topress too heavily on the cloth by the means hereafter described.

Gr, G, are segmental plates cast with hubs secured to the horizontalshafts E, E, inside the frame, and having bent bars (70, p,), attachedto their sides near their upper parts, and peripheries, by means of pinsor bolts projecting from said segmental plates, and passing throughopenings in the ends of the bent bars. These bars rest against pins (9,g,) at their bent parts, proj ecting from the lower part of the segmentaplates.

H, H, are other bars or arms secured to the horizontal shafts D, D,extending downward and slightly bent at their centers, toward the endsof the frame, and having projections, or enlarged at their lower ends,to form sufliciently wide surfaces on their faces for the lower ends ofthe bent bars (p, p,) to operate against.

I, I, are spiral springs connected at one end to the lower ends of thebars or arms H, H, and at their opposite ends to the tions, after beingacted on by the bent bars J, J, are arms secured to the extremities ofthe shafts E, E, extending downward and attached by means of pinsprojecting from the same, to a horizontal connecting rod or bar (1"),extending from one to the other-and to near one end of the frame, whereit is attached to the upper end of an inclined rod or bar (8), extendingto the opposite ends of the frame, being connected at its lower end to aslotted arm (2?) secured to the end of a horizontal shaft (U), turningin suitable boxes in the frame, by means of screw bolts attached to theinclined bar or rod (8), passing through the slot in the arm (6), andfixed at the desired point in the same by a nut.

K is a metallic bar inserted half way through an opening in thehorizontal shaft, so as to cause its ends to project from its sidesequally.

L is a graduated wheel turning on a stationary shaft or stud projectingfrom the inner side of the side of the frame, and having a series ofnotches formed in its periphery, at equal distance apart, and graduatedon its face with a corresponding number of marks numbered in numericalprogression. A pointer (1;) being secured to the shaft, or stud, andpointing upward to indicate the numbers as they are forced past thesame, by the ends of the bar K engaging with the notches of the wheel.

M is a spring pawl secured to a stud projecting from the inner side ofthe frame, immediately above the notched wheel, and

entering at its movable end, the notches in said wheel.

N is a spiral spring attached to the frame and to one end of theinclined rod or bar (8) for drawing it down during its vibration.

The mode of operation is as follows: A revolving motion beingcommunicated to the horizontal shaft U, it will cause a vibratory motionto be given to the inclined connecting bar or rod (S) and arms J, J, anda corresponding rocking to be given to the horizontal shafts E, E, ontheir axis. The cloth to be folded and measured is placed on a rack orroller or table immediately over the center of the platform or table Band its end is brought down between the notched bars (Z Z) on the radialrods 7c) and is temporarily fastened to the side of the table. Themachine is then put in motion as before stated, to give a rockingmovement to the shafts E E so as to cause the notched bar (Z Z) to bealternately brought down past the respective combs (j 7") on theopposite side of the table B and the segmental plates Gr G to move thebent bars (29 p) and their lower ends over the surfaces of the bent barsor arms H H so as to rock the shaft D D, and alternately raise the combsfrom the platform or table and the effect is as follows: Supposing theend of the cloth to be attached to the right hand side of the table Band the several parts of the machine to be in the position representedin Figs. 1, 2, 3, the horizontal connecting rod or bar 1' will be movedto the right, and with it the lower ends of the arms J J causing thenotched bar (Z) attached to the shaft E at the right hand side of thetable or platform B, to be forced downward with one fold of the cloth,so as to laythe same on the table and the notched bar (Z) attached tothe shaft E on the opposite side of the table to be raised, and the endof the bent bar (79) attached to said shaft E to be moved over thesurface of the enlarged part of the bent bar H so as to raise the comb(j) on the left hand side of the table B to make way for the passage ofthe cloth and notched bar (Z) and as soon as said notched bar is broughtdown to the table the end of the bent bar will have passed over theenlarged part of the bent bar H and above the shoulder of the sameformed'by said enlarged part when said bent bar will be suddenly drawnback to the leftto its first position by the spring I, causing the teethof the comb (j) to be forced down through the cloth and notches in thebar (Z') and to hold the cloth firmly on the left side of the table. Theslotted arm or crank (t) continuing its rotary motion will pass itscenter point and force the horizontal connecting bar (7') and with itthe arms J J to the left causing the notched bar (1) to be raised andthe end of the bent bar (79) to be forced over the surface of theenlarged part of the bent bar H to raise the comb 7") on the right handside of the table B and the notched bar on the left to be lowered withanother fold of the cloth of a similar size to the first, which will beheld to the right hand side of the table by the teeth of the comb 7")being forced into the same, after the end of the bar passes over theshoulder of the enlarged part of the bent bar H and allows the spiralspring I to draw said bar H to the right. The slot-ted arm or crank (t)will then again pass the opposite center point, and cause the notchedbar (Z) to be again raised and the opposite one (Z) to be lowered andanother fold to be laid, and so on in this manner the opera tion iscontinued each notched bar alternately laying a fold of a sizecommensurate with the distance between the points at which the notchededges of said bars touch the table B and the ends of the bar is enteringthe notches in the graduated Wheel L and turning the same so as to bringthe end of the spring pall M in the next succeeding notch in its passagepast the same so as to marks on said wheel must correspond with the sizeof the fold and indicate the number laid on the table.

The red lines denote the passage of the cloth. I

l/Vhat we claim as our invention and desire to secure by Letters Patentis The mode of folding and laying the cloth on the table or platform B,kept in a state of equilibrium by the weight (it) Wheel (6) chain (d)and rod (9) by means means of the notched bars (Z Z) attached to theradial rods (70 is) secured to the shafts E, E, combs 7' j) attached tothe shafts D D, segmental plates G G bent bars (;0 p) and H H arms J, Jhorizontal and inclined connectin rods or bars (7*, 8,) slotted arm orcrank T t) constructed combined arranged and operated as herein setforth.

AUGUSTUS C. CAREY. DANIEL G. BAGLEY. Vitnesses:

J. E. SANBORN, M. Gr. CAREY.

